Withering Hope
by Hermiione Longbottom
Summary: Ledge manages to get the Bluebird of Zappiness and uses it to defeat Motherboard. Cyberspace falls into chaos and war between two villains: Ledge vs Hacker. Left with no other choice, the Cybersquad and some survivors hide out on Earth, masking their identities to find a cure for Motherboard and restore Cyberspace. Collaboration fanfic - details inside.


_Hey there guys. This is a collaboration fanfic written by myself_ _ **Hello Kitty01**_ _and_ _ **CountDuckyBoos**_ _and we are writing the chapters together. This starts from an alternate ending of the finale of Season 8: The Bluebird of Zappiness. I hope you all…enjoy!_

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 **1\. Too Late**

Working with Hacker was definitely not a preference but since Motherboard said they had to, the Cybersquad tried their best to be polite to him as much as they could. They managed to reach the place where the clues led them only in time to see Ledge, Buzz and Delete flying away with the Bluebird.

"This is not good, this is not good at all," Inez said, eyes widening. "We need to stop them, you guys!"

"Dige, can you try flying after them?" Matt asked his friend and Digit frowned a bit.

"I'll try but their craft seems faster than the Grim Wreaker," Digit said before blinking. "Maybe we could go in the Wreaker and catch them."

Matt, Jackie and Inez all looked at Hacker who seemed unimpressed by all this.

"And what makes you think I'll let you brats and that traitorous turkey on my ship?" Hacker drawled to the kids.

The dry edge to Hackers tone was already enough to upset the Cybersquad, but his words themselves were simply infuriating. Despite this, the kids and Digit held their tongue.

"But how else are we going to catch them? Their going to get away with the blue bird of zapiness if we don't!" Inez challenged, her patience wearing thing as every second went by. She was trying to be kind, she really was trying with all her might. The Hacker narrowed an eye, insulted by the tone she took with him.

Hacker folded his arms instead of snapping, trying to keep up his own thin facade of kindness. "I don't need you meddlesome kids to get in my way, I'll go on my own." Emphasizing his point with jabbing his finger towards Inez. Matt pushed in past the Latina at that moment, "Oh like we'd trust you!"

Jackie tapped her foot impatiently, the feeling of paranoia rising in her throat as Digit went to back Matt up. "We don't have time for this," She snapped, stamping her foot one last time. "We have to figure something out now!" She pleaded.

"Ok guys, guys!" Inez said coming in between Matt and Hacker, to avoid them from getting into a fist fight or something and looking at Hacker. "Look, we don't really want to work with you either but you want the Bluebird of Zappiness and so do we. Right? No offence, Hacker but you've been outsmarted by Ledge once and so have we. So our best bet is working together whether we like it or not. So are you going to let us use the Wreaker or no?"

Hacker stared at her for a moment and hated to admit the girl had a point. "Fine, you can use the Wreaker. You know where it's parked."

"Come on, I'll take us to the Northern Frontier," Digit said flying back to the coup and the kids followed. After a moment, Hacker did too and Matt scooted over to give him room.

Hacker rolled his eyes and sat down. "It's pathetic, Cyberturkey, how you could have driven the Grim Wreaker had you not been a traitor but you choose to drive this pathetic thing."

"You're one to call me traitor, Hacker," Digit said frowning. "I only chose the right side."

Hacker was about to protest again when Inez glowered at him.

"Would you focus for two minutes and stop taunting us?" Inez said exasperatedly.

Hacker returned her glare but said nothing, in favor of turning his attention and grumbled away about pesky cyber turkeys and annoying children. Inez kept her glare on him steadily, after a few minutes to make sure Hacker didn't pursue the argument she sunk back against her seat. A sigh escaped past her lips as she glanced lazily in Jackie's direction. Her lips were pursed and her eyes were much too concentrated on cyber coops floor to not be thinking about something.

Inez turned her attention out to Cyberspace, passing a cybersite once and awhile. The silence in the coop was uncomfortable at best, but Inez took it as a time to consider their situation. She adored Cyberspace, it was a second home to her. Just like Motherboard was something like family, and the thought of failing her- especially losing to Ledge of all people- had her blood boiling. She clenched the seat tightly.

It was then she felt Jackie tense beside her, the black haired girl looked up from the floor. "Guys..." She started, the waver in her tone told she was going to go back into panic mode, it was a stressful period of time. The other passengers only gave her a weary glance. "How are we going to track Ledge? I mean- did we see where they went, what if when we go to track him down we can't find him?!" Actually, Inez hadn't considered that. She wasn't sure if any of them did.

Matt frowned a little at that, he hadn't considered that either but knew his friend was panicking. Unable to help but think of a response to her concern though, he made an attempt to lighten the mood. "And the award for the best dramatic outburst of the day goes to...Jackie!"

"Matt!" Jackie scolded. "This is serious." This time, it wasn't really lightening the mood considering if Ledge destroyed Motherboard then Cyberspace was doomed.

"Relax, Earthlies," Digit said fondly. "The Grim Wreaker has a tracking device to track people. I just hope it still works."

"Of course it still works," Hacker cut in. "But as soon as I get that Bluebird, I'll get rid of you kids and Motherboard. And you cyberturkey, I'll reprogram you on where your loyalties really should lie."

"Tell us about your failure plans later," Digit interrupted, trying to hide any nervousness. "Just tell us how to use it when we get there." He wasn't going to show Hacker he was afraid of his threats. He felt Matt's hand touch his wing and looked up to see the boy give him a reassuring smile.

Digit returned Matts smile, even if he was nervous he was at least confident in his friends. Feeling slightly better he returned his attention back to driving, glad he knew his friends had his back. Hacker watched the exchange with some form of disgust, lip curled.

Matt released his grip on Digits wing, sitting back against his seat and giving Hacker a look out of the corner of his eye. If he really did try to pull that off, he was sure him- Jackie and Inez could take him down in an instant. That was guaranteed.

None of them realized how much time had passed, finding themselves carefully landing on the surface of the Northern Frontier. Relief washed over them all as they got out of the coop. None of them took time to stretch, instead they headed towards the Wrecker without a moments hesitation. Hacker insisted being in the front, but Inez kept an even pace with him.

Matt glanced at Jackie as they trailed slightly behind with Digit, in another attempt to lighten the mood he gave her a broad smile. She gave him a confused look, "Hey you know the other good thing about switching to the Grim Wrecker?" Matt nudged her, Digit peered up at Matt with a raised brow. "We don't have to sit near Hacker anymore!" Actually, he wasn't quite sure where he was going with this. Jackie smiled anyway, though weakly. "Thank goodness, I felt like I was suffocating on his bad vibes."

Digit chuckled. "Oddly enough, the Grim Wreaker is a lot more comfortable when it comes to travelling. Hacker made it to guarantee his comfort." He flew over, not wanting Inez to feel alone with Hacker and the other two soon caught up as Hacker pressed a few codes in, managing to track in the location of Ledge.

"They're outside a lava?!" Inez said, her eyes wide as she clamped a hand over her mouth and her face paled. Either Ledge was suicidal or the Grim Wreaker was bonkers. "Digit, can the Grim Wreaker give a false alarm?"

Digit shook his head. "I'm not sure, Inez. It never did when I was there but that's been a long time ago..." He was cut off as their Squack-Pads began beeping.

Matt was the first to pull out his Squack-Pad. "Motherboard, are you alright?"

For a few seconds there was no response but buzzing static in the air and then... "Sorry Cybersquad...it's too late." She conked out completely and Matt stared.

"Is Motherboard...?" Matt didn't even want to say it but he turned a few shades paler at the thought of Motherboard having been dismantled. This couldn't be happening.

The girls peered over his shoulder, a sickness rose in their stomachs like a forest fire. The abrupt cut off sent shivers down their spines, Digit from his stand point covered his beak as if he was going to be sick. Inez glanced at all of them, she could barely breath. "I- she has to be fine, right? There's no way... it couldn't... it couldn't have been that easy." Digit met her gaze, Inez almost let out a pained noise. She turned away, "I have to keep a level head... I have to..." She mumbled to herself, distancing herself from the others.

Jackie felt tears prick at her eyes, her hands shook as she pressed them against her face. "This has to he a dream, there's no way..." Her words came out in harsh whispers, Matt was in complete silence. His grip on the squawk pad was shaky, but still tight. He felt a momentum of energy flare up in his veins, almost causing him to toss his Squawkpad across the room. Instead he stood there, taking ragged breaths. None of then were able to process a single thought.

Hacker watched this display of emotion, though he could not claim a feeling of sadness for the loss of Motherboard, he felt a burning anger. A frustration, "I should've been the one to put Motherboard out of commission, ME!" The green borg hissed, turning back to the control panel. He wanted to yell at something, anything- if Buzz and Delete were hear they'd really get an earful. And he wasn't about to try his luck with the sniveling children or that waste of space bird.

But no, he was not about to be one upped by Ledge. Not again, he'd make sure of it.

Digit didn't know what to do or what to think. This couldn't be possible. They all probably ate something funny and were having the same stupid dream and were going to wake up at any minute. He blinked a little bit, surprised as a Cyberportal appeared.

"Cybersquad, can you hear me?" Dr. Marbles' voice came through. "I need you to come through this portal and meet me on the other side. It's an emergency portal for all Cybercitizens. Hurry!"

Inez tried to focus on what was happening although blood was rushing to her ears and her heart was beating at an abnormally fast speed. She reached out, pulling Digit close. "L-let's go guys. There's no point working with Hacker now." Her eyes brimmed with tears but she forced them back.

It felt like they were drifting in and out of consciousness, but the words Inez spoke still registered. Digit almost was too distracted with his thoughts to even notice the portal open up. Turning his head upwards, he took note Matt walking towards the portal. As if a ball and chain weighed him down, Jackie and Inez followed suite.

It was almost like they were undead, or they might as well have been. Their minds blurred and emotions numb, they felt sick to their stomachs. Digit barely noticed his own feet moving, as he headed towards the portal. No one paid mind to Hacker, or they forgot to at least. The green borg was shocked by the sudden entrance of the portal, but quickly gathered his thoughts and watched them all with narrowed eyes.

It was now or never, really. He eyed Digit who trailed behind the kids, he refused to lose to Ledge. He had to start somewhere, and reprogramming the cyboid was where he'd start.

The Cybersquad didn't even notice Hacker following them, each of the three lost in their own thoughts and Hacker did a good job of hiding himself and planning his every move to strike when the group least expected it.

"Now, if we have any hope of saving Motherboard and Cyberspace, we need to evacuate it where Ledge won't watch our every move," Dr. Marbles said taking charge. "Earthlies, you need to hide us on Earth. I can change everyone's identities so Ledge won't recognise who we are or where we are if he even follows us to Earth. Motherboard needs us."

"How can we save Motherboard when she's gone?" Jackie asked miserably, voice cracking with emotion. "There's no way. Even if we go to Earth..."

Dr. Marbles was arranging another portal. "I'm making a portal, a special kind as we speak..." He was cut off by Hacker suddenly storming inside and grabbing hold of Digit.

"Not so fast!" Hacker cried. "I'm not going to be upped by Ledge! These kids can go wherever they please but Digit's coming back with me."

"No," Digit said weakly almost robotically and attempted to squirm free but Hacker tightened his grip, making to leave out of there when he suddenly felt a sharp yank on his arm and turned to see Matt glaring at him furiously.

"Never," Matt said quietly, eyes flashing with rage. "I won't let you." No matter how distracted he was, he wasn't going to lose Digit too.

Hacker sneered at Matt, keeping digit in a strong hold in his other arm. He shook the ginger loose with surprising strength, Matt fell backwards and hit the metal floor painfully. Digit's eyes widened as Matt groaned, but stood up anyway. Inez and Jackie had their attention on Hacker as well, though weren't as quick to action as Matt was. Jackie shook her head finally and put herself in front of Hacker, "I won't let you take Digit away too!" She snapped at him, her hands shook though she had no idea what to do to get Digit.

Blindly, despite her common sense screaming at her, Jackie reached forward and attempted to tear Digit out of Hackers grasp. Digit winced at the painfully grip the girl and borg had on him, he felt like he was being torn apart. Hacker grunted, somewhat surprised by her actions. "Let go you-" He didn't finish his sentence as he yanked back, causing Jackie to lose her grip. She fell flat on her stomach, Matt who was about to charge forward froze. The hesitation was long enough for Hacker to try and make a run for it.

"What's going on?" Inez heard Dr. Marbles yell, being unable to see the situation at hand. Inez didn't bother to reply as she sprung into action, the fear of failing another person she loved fueling her. Her mind couldn't even catch up with her body as she knocked herself right into Hacker, the metal of his body made her flinch. It hurt, badly.

It was enough to knock Hacker off balance, as he hadn't expected the attack. Digit fell from his grasp and landed on his back, Jackie and Matt had followed closely behind Inez as she took off after Hacker. They skidded to a halt as they watched Inez manage to knock Hacker over, despite their awe with the nine year old they had to get Digit.

Matt managed to get there first and quickly scooped Digit into his arms, holding him as if Hacker might come and snatch him away again while Jackie helped Inez seeing he had a hold of Digit. He didn't know what his next move was but he had known he couldn't lose Digit. He felt Jackie grab his free hand and saw Inez had come over too.

"Cybersquad, we shall meet back at Earth," Dr. Marbles' voice echoed and a portal although this one blue in colour surrounded the Cybersquad. Matt didn't respond although tensed as Hacker rushed towards them. Jackie squeezed his hand tighter and Inez squeezed Jackie's hand. Matt simply tightened his grip towards Digit. Just as Hacker was about to grab hold of him (and by extension) Digit, he faded from existence and they, along with Creech, Slider, Shari, Dr. Marbles, Glowla, Lucky and TW appeared on the outskirts of a farm.


End file.
